Committee hears bill to rewrite legislative ethics law, including new immunity and higher gift limits

The Washington State Senate Government, Tribal Affairs and Elections Committee held a public hearing Jan. 21 on Senate Bill 5143, which would revise the Ethics in Public Service Act to add new definitions, change gift thresholds and expand legal protections for ethics board members and staff.

Supporters and the bill sponsor said the changes are intended to consolidate ambiguous ethics language spread across code and to clarify rules for legislators, staff and the legislative ethics board.

William Bridges, committee staff, told the committee the bill “adds definitions, removes obsolete provisions, corrects internal references and updates statutory citations,” and that it raises the calendar-year gift threshold for state officers and employees from $50 to $100. Bridges also said the bill would exclude gift cards of $25 or less given to legislative employees and would permit…